Radiation detection systems are used in connection with detecting and sensing emitted radiation. Such systems can be used in connection with electron microscopy, X-ray telescopy, and X-ray spectroscopy. Radiation detection systems typically include in their structure a radiation detection window, which can pass radiation emitted from the radiation source to a radiation detector or sensor, and can also filter or block undesired radiation.
Standard radiation detection windows typically comprise a sheet of material, which is placed over an opening or entrance to the detector. As a general rule, the thickness of the sheet of material corresponds directly to the ability of the material to pass radiation. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a sheet of material that is as thin as possible, yet capable of withstanding pressure resulting from gravity, normal wear and tear, and differential pressure.
Since it is desirable to minimize thickness in the sheets of material used to pass radiation, it is often necessary to support the thin sheet of material with a support structure. Known support structures include frames, screens, meshes, ribs, and grids. While useful for providing support to an often thin and fragile sheet of material, many support structures can interfere with the passage of radiation through the sheet of material due to the structure's geometry, thickness and/or composition. The interference can be the result of the composition of the material itself and/or the geometry of the support structure. In addition, many known support structures have drawbacks. For example, screens and meshes can be rough and coarse, and thus the overlaid thin film can stretch, weaken and burst at locations where it contacts the screen or mesh. A drawback associated with unidirectional ribs is that the ribs can twist when pressure is applied. This twisting can also cause the overlaid film to stretch weaken and burst. Unidirectional ribs are set forth U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,557, which is incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, there can be substantial difficulty in manufacturing many known support structures, thus resulting in increased expense of the support structures and associated windows.